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Students and school pupils take part in hands-on training as part of the UK-wide Hack the Isles initiative
A nationwide cybersecurity competition aimed at developing skills amongst young people aged 14–24 across the UK and Ireland has been hosted at the Abertay cyberQuarter.
Organised by Northern Ireland-based CyberSpark and partners CybExer, Hack the Isles is designed for students and early-career professionals. The programme combines hands-on learning with Capture the Flag challenges to build technical expertise, foster teamwork, and encourage interest in cybersecurity careers.
The Scottish bootcamp took place on Thursday 6 November and Friday 7 November, welcoming participants from Abertay University and local schools.
Attendees took part in realistic cyber scenarios and intensive training sessions covering core cybersecurity concepts, ethical hacking, and defence techniques. All activities were delivered in simulated environments, supported by guidance from industry experts.
Cheryl Torano, Business Development Manager, said:
Hosting the Scottish bootcamp for Hack the Isles reflects our commitment to supporting cybersecurity education and engaging young people in practical, skills-based learning. It’s encouraging to see such strong interest from students and schools across the region.
Similar bootcamps are being held across the UK and Ireland, targeting over 300 participants in the first year.
The winning teams will progress to compete remotely in the online semi-finals, tackling challenges via CyberSpark’s state-of-the-art cyber ranges which will test technical skills andproblem-solving abilities – key attributes for any cybersecurity professional.
The top 10 teams will advance to the live final held early in 2026 at Campbell College Belfast. This two-day event will culminate in an awards ceremony attended by government officials, industry leaders, and educators, celebrating the participants’ commitment to cybersecurity.
Richard Coates, CEO of CyberSpark, said:
We’re delighted to bring Hack the Isles to Abertay’s cyberQuarter as part of our nationwide effort to engage and empower the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. The cyberQuarter offers an ideal environment for hands-on learning and collaboration, and we’re proud to work with Abertay to help young people build the skills needed to protect our digital future.
About the Tay Cities Region Deal
The Tay Cities Region Deal is a partnership between local, Scottish and UK governments and the private, academic and voluntary sectors which seeks to create a smarter and fairer Angus, Dundee, Fife and Perth & Kinross under the headings Inclusive Tay; Innovative Tay; International Tay; Connected Tay and An Empowered Tay.
The Scottish Government and UK Government will each invest up to £150 million in the Tay Cities Region Deal over 10 years, subject to final approval of robust business cases.
As of 30 September 2024, over £231million has been approved by Governments and the Partnership for investment and over 2,541 jobs have been created.
This central investment from both Governments has the potential to attract £400m of investment over 15 years, of which more than £180 million has already been secured by Projects.
Full and further information on the progress the Deal has made to date on securing investment and jobs, can be found within the Annual Performance Report located on the Tay Cities Region Deal website.
